BLUE TITMOUSE. 63 
69. FIRE-CRESTED REGULUS—(Regulus egnicapillus ). 
Much less common than the last, though very likely often con- 
founded with it from its great general resemblance. Its nest is 
like its gold-crowned relation’s, and the eggs seem to resemble 
the variety first described in the above notice of that bird. 
V. PARIDA. 
70. GREAT TITMOUSE.—(Parus major). 
Great Tit, Oxeye, Blackcap, Great Blackheaded Tomtit, Pick- 
cheese.—It might also be called, and I believe is in one district, the 
Saw-sharpener, for its note certainly puts onein mind of that 
agreeable musical operation. The Tomtits are familiar to all of us, 
and “impudent” is one of the epithets we most usually apply to 
the whole tribe. Most of them breed in some hollow place or hole. 
The nest of the Great Tit is formed of moss, with a feather hning, 
and is sometimes placed in a hole in a wall; sometimes in some 
appropriate recess in a hollow tree. Like the other Tits, it lays 
many eggs, occasionally from six to nine. They are white, of 
fair size, and well spotted as well as speckled with a decided 
shade of red. There is an easily recognised resemblance between 
the eggs of all the Tomtit family. — iy. 15, plate III. 
71. BLUE TITMOUSH—(Parus ceruleus).-. 
Tomtit, Blue Tomtit, Nun, Blue-cap, Blue-bonnet, Billy-biter, 
Hickwall, Blue Mope.—One of the most impudent of an impu- 
dent lot. A pair had built their nest in a crevice between the 
lintel and stonework of my coach-house, and my children from 
their nursery window observed it. For their amusement I got 
a ladder and looked in. The bold little matron could not be 
induced to leave the hole, but spit and hissed like a regular 
